The present invention relates to hand held power tools and, more particularly, to hand held power tools which move to a plurality of positions.
Hand held power tools are utilized by general consumers as well as professional tradesmen. Hand held power tools have replaced the burdensome turning and rotation of manual hand tools. Specifically, in the screwdriver field, hand held power screwdrivers have become extremely popular. Hand held power screwdrivers ordinarily have the rotatable spindle co-axial with the screwdriver housing. When a drill motor is utilized with a screwdriver bit, the spindle is ordinarily at a 90xc2x0 angle with respect to the drill motor handle.
When utilizing a stick type of power screwdriver, sometimes it is desirable to utilize the power screwdriver at various angles with respect to the workpiece. However, while the screwdriver is positioned at the varied angle, it does not always enable the user to have an adequate grip on the screwdriver to provide a desired force.
Accordingly, various types of positionable tools have served this function. Positionable tools ordinarily have a first position where the spindle is co-axial with the tool housing and a second position where the spindle is angled with respect to the tool housing. Thus, the user, when necessary, angles the spindle with respect to the remaining portion of the housing to enable a better grip on the power tool. The better positioning of the spindle enables the user to provide a desired force onto the fastener.
Several types of positionable tools exist in the art. While these tools appear to be satisfactory for their intended purpose, designers strive to improve the art.
The present invention provides the art with a positionable hand held power tool. The power tool is provided with a mechanism to actively retain the housing portions in a plurality of positions with respect to one another. The present invention provides an active bias member to lock the housing portions with respect to one another.
In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, a tool operated in a plurality of positions comprises two housing members each defining an axis. A pivot couples the two housing members for pivotal movement with respect to one another. A lock mechanism is coupled with one of the housing members for locking the two housing members in a plurality of positions with respect to one another. In a first position, the axes of the housing members are generally colinear. In a second position, the axes are angled with respect to one another. The lock mechanism includes an activation member. A movable pin is coupled with the activation member. A detent member is coupled with one of the housing members. The detent member includes a plurality of detents for receiving a movable pin to lock the housing members in one of the plurality of positions. A guide mechanism is also present which directs the movement of the movable pin. The guide mechanism enables movement of the pin in a plurality of directions. The guide mechanism includes a member extending from the activation member which includes a slot to receive the pin and enable movement of the pin in the slot. The guide mechanism also includes at least one channel on one of The housing members for guiding movement of the pin. A biasing member is coupled with the activation member to apply a force on the pin to maintain the pin in the detents. The activation member is moved to remove the pin from a detent to enable pivoting of the housing members with respect to one another. Also the detent member includes a cam surface to move the pin in a desired direction.
In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, a two-position tool is disclosed comprising two housing members with a pivot coupling the two members together with one another to enable pivoting of the two members with respect to one another. At least two detents are on one of the housing members. A pin is on the other of the housing members and is movable in two directions to be received in at least two detents to maintain the housing members in at least two positions with respect to one another. A biasing member applies a force on the pin to actively maintain the pin in the detents. A guide member is coupled with one of the housing members to guide the pin in a first direction. A second guide member is on the other housing to guide the pin in a second direction. An activation member is coupled with the pin to move the pin in and out of the detents.
In accordance with a third aspect of the invention, a two-position tool comprises a pair of housing members pivotal with respect to one another.
One of the housing members has at least two detents. A pin is on the other housing member to be received by the detents. The pin is movable and biased such that as the pin moves out of one detent, the housing members may be pivotal with respect to one another and the biased pin is forced into the other detent to maintain a tool in a second position. A guide member is coupled with one of the housing members to guide the pin in a first direction. A second guide member is on the other housing member to guide the pin in a second direction. An activation member is coupled with the pin to move the pin in and out of the detents. The guide mechanism includes a member extending from the activation member which includes a slot to receive the pin. The pin is movable in the slot. The second guide members includes at least one channel in the housing member to guide movement of the pin. A biasing member is coupled with the activation member to apply a force on the pin to actively maintain the pin in the detents. The detent member also includes a cam surface to move the pin.
From the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and subjoined claims, other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent to one skilled in the art.